Adhemar's Revenge
by callingout
Summary: Adhemar is going to marry Jocelyn, and the only way William can stop him is to do exactly as he says... NOTE Sorry that HTML is displayed, I didn't realise it would show up UPDATE Chapter 2 uploaded
1. After The Battle

BDISCLAIMER: The only characters in this story that I own are Sir Hucklesworth, Lord Regindon and Annabelle. I do not our Count Adhemar, William Thatcher, Jocelyn, Geoffrey Chaucer, Wat, Roland, Christiana, Kate or any other character that might be mentioned./b  
  
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Still in shock, Count Adhemar picked himself off the floor. The cheers were deafening. Streamers rained down all around him. And the whole celebration was for Thatcher. The peasant who thought he could make it as a knight. The country boy who had knocked Adhemar off his horse and won the world jousting championship.  
  
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But it wasn't over. Not yet. Adhemar had never been beaten before, and he wasn't about to make this the first time. So William had won the championship. Adhemar was still the one who would marry Will's one true love; Jocelyn. Smirking to himself, Adhemar walked away.  
  
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William raised his arms in triumph again. The crowd roared! He loved it, every bit of it. Being a world-famous knight, defeating his arch enemy, reunited with his father, and with the girl of his dreams. Life couldn't be more perfect. Or so he thought...  
  
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Pacing his room angrilly later that night, Adhemar was interupted by a knock at the door. Marching over to it in his usual fashion when he was in a far from happy mood, he threw the door open, prepared to take his anger out on whoever stood the other side if they so much as looked at him the wrong way.  
  
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His squire was waiting outside.  
  
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"My liege," he said, "Sir Hucklesworth sends word. He says if your army holds his knights captive any longer, he will be forced to take action."  
  
"Let him take action then." Adhemar snarled, "See if I care!" He strode back into the room, slamming the door as he went.  
  
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Gazing out at the stars, Jocelyn, with Christiana by her side as always, thought of Will. After so many pathetic knights trying to win her heart, who only wanted her because of her looks, she had at last found who she was supposed to be with.  
  
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"Jocelyn."  
  
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Her father's voice startled her out of her thoughts. She turned to greet him.  
  
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"My daughter, I have found for you your future husband. You shall be wed by May."  
  
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Jocelyn was speechless. It was already November. In just 7 months time, she and Will would be married? Together for the rest of their lives?  
  
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"Oh, father, that's terrific!" she said, engulfing him in a hug.  
  
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"His name is Count Adhemar. I think you'll like him. He's a very well-known knight, and leader of the free companies."  
  
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Jocelyn looked at him in horror, her eyes widening. iAdhemar?/i That's who she was to marry? That brutal swine who had done everything in his power to defeat, shame and humiliate William?  
  
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Seeing her expression, her father asked, "My dear, what's wrong? Just a moment ago you were so excited!"  
  
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"I cannot marry Count Adhemar!" Jocelyn cried, defiantly. "I cannot and I will not. William is the one for me!"  
  
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"My dear," her father began, slightly sternly, "I'm afraid it's not your choice."  
  
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"It should be my choice! Who are you to choose my future for me? Am I just am object to be handed from one man to another? Why can I not marry Will?"  
  
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"Jocelyn, you deserve better than Will. Noble he may be, but he comes from a poor background. My daughter, married to the son of a thatcher? You deserve so much better. Adhemar can provide for you where William can't."  
  
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Knowing she was defeated and no longer able to speak, Jocelyn fled the room in tears. Christiana solemnly followed her mistress.  
  
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William was sitting around a bonfire with Wat, Geoff, Roland and Kate when he heard the quick footsteps and the sobs. Wat, suspicious as always, picked up his dagger and headed towards the noise. Jocelyn ran into the clearing.  
  
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"Jocelyn, what's wrong? Why are you crying? Tell me!" William said, alarmed to see her in such a state.  
  
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"My father..." she said breathlessly, through her tears. "He says I am to marry Adhemar. He says you're not good enough for me, coming from such lowly origins, and that I have no say in the matter."  
  
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"So it's true! I thought he was just saying that!"  
  
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"You mean you already knew about this?"  
  
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"Before the tournament, he told me that he'd entered negotiations with your father and that he was going to make you his bride. I thought he was trying to distract me in the hope that I might not do as well when fighting him. I can't believe this! What are we going to do?"  
  
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"What ican/i we do? I have no choice!"  
  
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"No, there's always a choice. Run away."  
  
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"Bit hypocritcal, aren't you William?" piped up Roland. "You yourself refused to run away from being arrested."  
  
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"That was different, I'm a knight! Knights are not cowardly." William retorted  
  
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"And neither am I!" added Jocelyn. "Come, Christiana, we must go."  
  
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Watching them walk back through the forest, William sank to his knees. How could everything have gone from being perfect to being in devastation in just a matter of hours?  
  
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	2. Adhemar vs Sir Hucklesworth

Riding atop a sleek black horse, his squire walking next to him, Count Adhemar surveyed the scenery as he journeyed towards Rome. He was not prepared to unhand Sir Hucklesworth's top knights - they would be a powerful weapon against him. Instead, he had accepted the challenge and was headed for the battle.  
  
His army were approaching Rome from the other direction, having just finished fighing in Athens. He would meet them before they attacked. In the mean time, he was riding through lucious Italian countryside; on a well-worn dirt track with thick trees either side.  
  
Suddenly, a man ran out in front of his horse.  
  
"I- I have a message for Count Adhemar..." he stammered.  
  
"That would be me." Adhemar replied, somewhat impatiently.  
  
"I have word from Lord Regindon; he says you will be wed to his daughter on the 21st of May."  
  
Adhemar smiled, remembering William's face when he had told him that he would be marrying Jocelyn.  
  
"Thank you." He said dismissively to the messenger, and carried on his way.  
  
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"Sire, it has been reported that there is a large group of men heading for our base camp from the south; Adhemar's army."  
  
Sir Hucklesworth turned to his worried looking advisor. "Gather the troops. Have them guard the camp from all sides, with the strongest fortifications on the south side. Prepare them to attack if necessary."  
  
"Yes, sire." His advisor hurried away.  
  
So, Adhemar was refusing to hand back the knights. He wanted to fight for ownership of them. So be it. Yes, without them, his army wouldn't be as strong, but strong enough to keep away Adhemar. Adhemar was past it anyway - just recently he'd been defeated in the jousting championships for the first time ever. He was clearly growing weaker with age.  
  
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Adhemar watched as one of his own soldiers writhed in pain. The soldier was dying, any fool could see that, and he wasn't the first to die in this battle either. Adhemar was losing, that was for sure, and his top fighter had been seriously injured recently. What he needed was somebody strong, with power and spirit, somebody who could single handedly take out Sir Hucklesworth, who was stronger than many and a hard enemy to defeat.  
  
William.  
  
Where had that thought come from? It was true that William could probably take out Hucklesworth, but William fighting along side his arch enemy? It would never happen. Unless...  
  
Slowly, a menacing grin spread across Adhemar's face. He would get William to help, alright. And he would win this battle and as many other battles as he wanted. He was unstoppable now.  
  
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William walked alongside his sleek chestnut stallion, Roland next to him, Wat ahead, with another horse, and Geoff and Kate bringing up the rear.  
  
They heard the horse cantering before they saw the horse, or it's rider.  
  
It was Count Adhemar. For once, alone, without his faithful squire riding next to him.  
  
"Sir William." He greeted Will. "So we meet again."  
  
"What do you want?" William replied challengingly.  
  
"I want your help." Adhemar said.  
  
"Why would I ever help you?"  
  
"Because if you don't," Here he paused to smirk, "Then Jocelyn will be mine and I'll arrange it so that you never see her again."  
  
The realisation of the fact that Count Adhemar was right sank in. If he married Jocelyn, they could move anywhere in the world and settle there, without William knowing their whereabouts, and it would be the last he ever saw of her. But... this could be a trick. It probably WAS a trick. Adhemar probably planned to separate Will and Jocelyn anyway, and this was just his way of getting William to act as he pleased. Still...  
  
"What kind of help?" he asked, cautiously.  
  
Adhemar smiled again. "Have you ever heard of Sir Huckleworth? A powerful British knight, residing in Italy. He and I are currently at war, and I'm loosing. I need you to help me win."  
  
"I'll think about it." William replied.  
  
"Don't think for too long; the offer does expire." Adhemar warned, turning his horse the way he had come, and riding back into the forest.  
  
"What's there to think about?" hissed Wat. "This is ADHEMAR we're talking about! Remember him? Your sworn enemy. The guy who had you put in prison. The man who made you the laughing stock of London! The one who tipped his lance so it would pierce through your armour! Are you out of your mind?"  
  
"No! Helping Adhemar is the only way I can see Jocelyn once he's married her. I can't stop the wedding, but by doing this, I can stop him taking her away. At least that way she'd be in my life, even if she couldn't be with me."  
  
"It's a trick Will! Don't you see?" Kate didn't understand why William was being so naive, why he was even considering this. It was clear to her, and no doubt anyone, that Adhemar was trying to take advantage. When had he ever kept a promise? Especially one to one of the people he hated most in the world.  
  
"But what if it isn't? This is my only chance, Kate, I have to try!" William's voice was cracking as he said this. "I can't bear to loose her. And if helping Adhemar is the way to save her, I'll help Adhemar. I'll do whatever it takes."  
  
Shaking her head in defeat, Kate carried on walking. 


End file.
